Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: IT'S CHILD'S PLAY (06/06/19)
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TITLE: The Nanny | Previous Challenge Entry
By Louis Detweiler
06/13/19 -
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“Don’t worry, Patricia. All I need you to do is drop Debbie off for swim lessons. She has a swim instructor mentoring her during the whole practice. While Debbie is swimming just watch our three-year-old Mikey in the baby pool.
“OK.”
Mickey jumped into the baby pool and drenched me from head to foot. “You have no fear of anything except a stern word from me or a spanking from Mom and Dad. “Please, Mickey, you are getting me all wet.”
Mickey giggled in delight, stomped his feet harder, and splashed water in my face.
Soaked, I splashed Mickey and a playful war with water began. A voice called out, “Your fun is contagious, my baby wants to join in. Now there was four of us splashing, laughing, and having a great time.
Mickey sat down and began kicking water with his feet. Janet, the mother of the other baby in the pool, sat down with her three-year-old daughter, June, and started kicking water. I sat down and we all were kicking water as hard as we could.
Micky rolled over and splashed with his arms. I rolled over while watching Mickey carefully and began flailing my arms in the water. June and Janet also turned over and all four of us were kicking, flailing our arms and laughing.
June asked me, “Are you a naturally born swimmer?”
“No. I’m very afraid of deep water. In a baby pool, I’m OK. I’m a nanny. I have common sense. I know how to farm, cook, house keep, raise children, and first aid, but I never learned to swim. I want to swim, but I just keep putting it off.
Mikey wore June, Janet, and me out with his stomping during the next hour. As Janet turned around to leave with June, she asked, “When are you and Mickey here at the pool?”
“When Debbie, Mickey’s older sister, has swim practice. I stay until Debbie is through and then I take the two of them back home.”
“We had fun, Patricia. I’ll try and be here when Debbie has her practices.”
So, the summer went, with rambunctious Mickey splashing Janet, June and me. As Debbie became a better swimmer, she became more adventurous and confident. In late August, after practice, Janet and I watched Debbie do flips from the high dive into the water.
“Wow, Debbie, wait until I tell your Mom,” I called out.
Debbie, attempting to do a backwards dive, slipped and hit her head on the board then fell in the middle of the pool. Immediately, I looked for the lifeguard who had his back turned attending someone else.
I dove into the deep water kicking and flailing the best I could until I reached Debbie’s still body. Janet bounded in after me. Janet and I got Debbie to the side of the pool and out of the water.
Coughing, Debbie sputtered, “What happened?”
Janet answered, “You had an accident, Are you OK?”
The lifeguard came over with a towel, dried her off and checked for any bleeding or bruises.
Debbie answered, “I feel fine. I’m just groggy.”
The lifeguard asked, “Should I call an ambulance?”
Debbie said, “I feel fine. I just want to go home Miss Patricia.”
I spoke up, “We’ll let the parents decide if she needs a medical examination. I’ll have her home in a minute.”
I drove straight home and told Debbie’s Mom, Shelly, what happened.
Shelly told Debbie, “Quickly, get changed. I think you have a mild concussion. We’re going to the doctor immediately.”
Shelly looked at me, “I thought you couldn’t swim?”
“I uttered Paul’s verse in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” and then I dove into the water.
“Thank God you study the Bible and thank God you are a Christian. Are you still afraid of the water?”
“Yes, but I’m grateful Debbie is alive.”
“God was with you today.”
I smiled, “God is with us every day. We just need to stay focused for his direction. I think the child’s play with Mickey helped.”
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Some of the dialoging was confusing as to who was speaking. It works better to place in their own paragraph and spaced apart.
With a little more editing, this could be a winner. Keep up the good work!